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In themodern pagan movement ofHeathenry there are a number ofholidays celebrated by different groups and individuals. The most widely observed are based onancient Germanic practices described in historical accounts or folk practices; however, some adherents also incorporate innovations from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Prior to Christianisation and the introduction of the Julian calendar, the Germanic peoples used a lunisolar calendar, that was used to coordinate heathen seasonal festivals and holy periods. These included theÁlfablót,Dísablót,Veturnáttablót andBlōtmōnaþ at the beginning of winter,Yule andMōdraniht aroundMidwinter, andHrēþmōnaþ andSigrblót in the summer half of the year.[1]
Beyond these, Adam of Bremen's account of theTemple at Uppsala describes a great festival that was held every nine years, however it has been argued that this would have been usinginclusive counting and would thus have occurred every eight years by modern counting conventions.[1][2]
Modern Heathens can celebrate a number of these festivals, withWinter Nights,Yule andSigrblót being among the most widely observed, however the date is typically adjusted so that it falls on a weekend.[3][4]
The modern Icelandic festival ofÞorrablót is sometimes considered a "pagan holiday" due to folk etymology with the name of the godThor.[5] The name, while historically attested, is derived fromÞorri which is not explicitly linked to Thor, instead being the name of a month in the historicIcelandic calendar and a legendary Finnish king.[6][7] Despite this, toasts to Thor are commonly included in the modern celebration.[8]
Beyond the information about historical practice given inEarly Medieval sources, some Heathens use modern festival calendars that incorporate material from othernew religious movements such as the "Wheel of the Year" popular inWicca.[9] This practice is criticised by other Heathens, however, due to its origin in the 20th century and its lack of connection to historical celebrations.[10]
In addition to this, several groups in the USA have designated holidays throughad hoc innovation, such as the various "Days of Remembrance" introduced byThe Troth or "Vali's Day", derived fromValentine's Day by a folk etymology connection with the deityVáli.[11]
Suggestions for rituals suited for these various holidays were published byEdred Thorsson,A Book of Troth (1989) and byKveldulf Gundarsson,Teutonic Religion (1993).James Chisholm (1989) published a suggestion forOstara.[12] Chisholm argued for the reconstruction of the "sacred dramas" which he saw reflected in some Eddaic poems, although shorn of their sexual content by the Christian redactors. The revived ritual was again to be modified to suit "contemporary American sensibilities".[13]
Samfundet Forn Sed Sverige has a list of annual holidays held during specific periods of the year.[14][15]
| Date | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Late December (winter solstice) | JulblotYule blót | Devoted toOdin andFreyr.[15] |
| February | Disablot (Dísablót) | Devoted to thedísir.[15] |
| Spring equinox | Vårblot (Spring blót) | Devoted principally to beings such asFreyja,Freyr,Sól andlight elves, but also toGerðr.[15] |
| Late April - early May | Majblot (May blót) | Devoted principally to Freyr but also to beings such as Gerðr,Thor,Sif andJörð.[15] |
| Summer solstice | (Midsommarblot) (Midsummer) | Devoted principally to Freyr, Freyja but also to Sól and light elves.[15] |
| Early August | Sensommarblot (Late-Summer blót) | Devoted principally to Thor and Sif.[15] |
| Autumn equinox | Höstblot (Autumn blót) | Devoted to a range of beings includingSkaði,Ullr, Freyr andFrigg.[15] |
| October - November | Alvablot (Álfablót) | Devoted to ancestors and beings such as Freyr, Odin and theelves.[15] |
The handbookOur Troth: Heathen Life published by American-based inclusive Heathen organizationThe Troth in 2020, lists three holidays that most Heathens agree on, Yule (Winter Solstice or the first full moon after Winter Solstice), Winter Nights/Alfarblot/Disablot (begins on the second full moon after Autumnal Equinox and ends at new moon) and Summer Nights/Sigrblot (begins on the first full moon after Spring Equinox and ends at new moon).[16]
Other holidays listed by the Troth include Disting (Second Full Moon of the New year),[17] Lenzen (Full Moon Cycle around Vernal Equinox), Ostara (First Full Moon After Vernal Equinox),[18] May Day (May 1),[19] Midsummer/Litha (Summer Solstice),[20] Lammas (Full moon after autumnal equinox)[21] and Sunwait (starts 6 weeks before Winter Solstice).[22]
The movement Ingwina Hæðenscipe, which seeks to reconstruct West Germanic Heathen beliefs, also has a list of annual holidays held during specific periods of the year. The group provides both reconstructed, and entirely modern dates for these festivals for the benefit of modern practitioners.[23]
| Date | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Late December (winter solstice) | Geóhol-blótYule blót | Devoted toWoden,Ingui (with whom they identifyFreyr),[24] Wulð (with whom they identifyUllr),[25] and other "Yule Beings". |
| Late December | MōdranihtMother's Night | Devoted to the Mother goddesses, orIdese. |
| Early January | Twelftadæg (Twelfth Day) | Devoted toFrig, and to nature spirits, seewassailing. |
| February | Sige-tiber (Victory blót) | Devoted to Woden, for victory in the forthcoming "Summer" months. |
| March | Lencten-tid (Spring Feast) | Devoted to the goddessesHréðe, and Hludana. |
| April | Eáster-freólsdæg (Eostre's Feast) | Devoted toEostre. |
| Summer solstice | Midsumordæg (Midsummer) | Devoted principally toThunor, but also to Helith, with whom they associate good luck and healing.[26] |
| Early August | Bendfeorm (Corn Reaping Feast) | Devoted principally toBeowa. This is a celebration of the corn harvest and subsequent "tying". The group eschews the term "Lammas" as it is entirely Christian in origin. |
| Late September | Hærfestlíc Freólsung (Harvest Festival) | Devoted to a range of beings including Ing, Thunor, Frig, and Woden. This is a celebration of the late harvest, and symbolic offering of the Last Sheaf. |
| October | Winter-fylleþ (Winter Full-Moon) | Devoted to ancestors and beings such as Ingui, Woden and theElves. This is considered the beginning of Winter. |
| Mid November | Andetnes-blót (Thanksgiving blót) | Devoted to many beings. This is when historically, livestock that could not survive the winter would be slaughtered. |